Did you know Central American tapirs like Frida and Iibu spend a lot of time in the water? 👉 They are excellent swimmers and divers, often submerging themselves in water to cool off or hide from predators. 👉 They can stay underwater for several minutes because their short prehensile trunk is used as a built-in snorkel. 👉 They eat aquatic plants and their splayed toes help create traction on the slippery bottom. | Milwaukee County Zoo

The South American tapir (Tapirus terrestris), is the largest and heaviest land mammal in the Amazon rainforest, reaching up to 250 kilograms. With its flexible snout and herbivorous diet, it roams long distances feeding on leaves, shoots, and fruits, dispersing thousands of seeds that give life to new trees. Jaguars, caimans, and anacondas are among its main predators. When threatened, its instinct leads it to seek refuge in the water, where it reveals itself as a surprisingly skilled swimmer.

BABY BOOM: Two baby tapirs were born at a zoo in Nicaragua to two different mothers on Sunday. In footage released by the zoo, one of the newborns was seen staying close to her mother's side. | 9&10 News

CUTENESS ALERT! We have an exciting new arrival, a baby tapir has been born and its the first in the UK this year. First-time parents Al and Emily have taken to parenthood, but are having a problem that many human parents will recognise – she won’t eat all her vegetables! Read more here: https://www.newquayzoo.org.uk/explore/news/detail/zoos-baby-tapir-is-uk-first | Newquay Zoo